Caught

20.

Hot water was flowing over my skin. It felt nice and soothing.

I had finally recovered enough from the terrible experience to think clearly. I didn't want to admit that the little interlude with Shira had a lot to do with it.

I showered for almost ten minutes contemplating my current situation. 

I replayed the events of the last day in my mind, regretting that I had not been able to get more information from my black-haired saviour.

Did Shira have a plan to get me and Maya out of here? What would happen next? Was the Emperor planning an attack? And where exactly were we now?  

As soon as Shira left to meet his master, I searched my forced residence, but found nothing useful. No plans, no documents, no laptop, no phone. There was nothing to help me pinpoint my location.

A dark corridor behind the door of this room led outside. The sounds of moving cars, footsteps and the voices of many people reached me. Escape was out of question, I had no idea how many soldiers were here, I had no map, no mobile phone, no navigation. And most importantly, I wasn't leaving without Maya.

My only chance seemed to be to trust Shira and his help. And I did trust him. He had given me his word and proved to me that he intended to keep it.

I turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. The bathroom I found off the main room was more spacious than I had expected.

On the white shelf above the washbasin there were several folded towels and a box of soap. A small cabinet hung on the wall in the corner, and when I opened it I found disinfectant, bandages, various medicines and vials of unknown contents. Basic medical supplies.

I took one of the towels and looked at the pile of clothes in the corner. I didn't want to put on that dirty, torn uniform again. I wrapped the towel around my hips and wondered if Shira would mind if I borrowed some of the clothes I'd found in his room.

My eyes lingered on the square mirror on the opposite wall, and I couldn't help but smile when I noticed a few purple marks on my skin. Two on my neck and one under my left collarbone. A rather vivid memory of how they got there flashed through my mind.

I left the bathroom and saw Shira.

I didn't hear him when he came back, the running water apparently covering his footsteps. He was kneeling on the floor, looking for something. It was only now that I realised there was a safe hidden in the floor. The black-haired assassin had just taken several guns and ammunition clips from it.

Finally he raised his head and looked at me.

He gave me a long look that brought heat to my face. I was suddenly aware of my lack of clothing, just the towel around my waist. Considering what we'd done on that bed just half an hour ago, I shouldn't have felt embarrassed as his piercing eyes devoured every exposed inch of my body.

But that moment of burning desire was interrupted by the ringing of Shira's phone.

Now, with a clear head, everything seemed different.

"What did the Emperor want?" I tried to break the tension between us with a question.

"He has some work for me," he replied curtly, returning to his previous activity.

The weapons and other equipment necessary for killing, which he placed one by one on the floor beside his right hand, left me in no doubt as to the nature of his mission.

"Anyone I know?" I asked in a mocking tone.

"I hope not," he grinned and stood up.

With a sinking feeling in my stomach, I watched him get ready.